Trust

They stared at each other wordlessly. The pool of water sighed as it lapped softly against the rocks.

Suzhen pressed her lips together tightly. "Nothing has changed, Xuxian. You are still a human. I am still a snake spirit."

Tears streamed down Xuxian's face. "But my heart has changed. Would that be enough?"

"What you said just now--did you mean it?"

"On my life."

She studied him silently.

"I thought, how could someone as foolish as I know better than the holy man? But I realized that I had something he didn't--I knew you. He has only fought with other spirits. He hasn't lived with you. He hasn't eaten the food you cooked, worn the clothes you mended. Seen your smile in the mornings. Made pancakes for you. Watched the way you laugh with Granny Hong, helped you comb your hair. He's never had you teach him how to swim, or looked for ginseng on the mountains with you…"

Susu gasped in pain. She closed her eyes as the memories flitted across her brain, blinding in their warmth and light.

Xuxian's voice was drawn with yearning. "Susu. We were so happy together. I know that that was real. I don't want to throw all that away and misjudge you. I trust you. Can you do the same?"

Suzhen looked up with glistening eyes. A light was slowly dawning over her face.

"Xuxian," she choked, and the next moment she had run forward into his arms.

Qingqing appearing at the mouth of the grotto just then, clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from gasping loudly. She fell back hastily and watched them from behind a rock, eyes wide over the edge of her hand.

"I can't believe it," she muttered to herself. "Sister forgave him so easily? I would have made him cut off an arm or leg to prove his sincerity, or at least made him do something to appease my anger. If she kept him kneeling here for three days it would have been more in keeping with her status as a great white snake. How can she forgive him so easily? Does she have no pride?"

Qingqing sat back, looking thoughtful. "He doesn't have much pride himself, to be sure, but then doesn't that make it even more disgraceful, to let him off so easily when he would willingly have abased himself if you made him?"

She stole a glance at where they stood, Suzhen's head on his chest and Xuxian's arms wrapped tightly around her as if he was afraid she would transform into her snake form and slither out of his arms any moment. The happiness she glimpsed on their faces made something in her throb uncomfortably, almost as if it hurt. Qingqing's hand crept to her heart and she poked it hard. "Are you sick? Why should you feel anything, except anger? Sister clearly doesn't know how to manage mortal men. I'm going to have to tell her off after this. Not that she'll listen to me, but if she humbles herself like this, how will she manage him in the future? He'll just take her for granted."

Softly getting to her feet, she could not resist looking at them again. This time her face softened unconsciously. "She looks happy," Qingqing breathed to herself. For a moment she looked uncharacteristically sober.

Then she turned and made her way noiselessly back down, shaking her head to herself. "She's a fool," Qingqing said vigorously as she scrambled down the slope. "They're both fools, but Sister is more of one because she chose to be a fool. Physician Xu is a fool to begin with. The man hasn't any pride to speak of. Sister Bai acts as if he's the only man in the world, whereas clearly with her beauty and power she could choose any one she wanted. She's given up so much of her power for him."

She kicked a pebble with more energy than necessary, and it skimmed through the air, decapitating a flower that just budded.

With a small jump, Qingqing landed on the ground and looked around cautiously. She was still on guard. Gui Yuan could be anywhere.

"I've got to find a way to kill him," she murmured distractedly to herself. "Who would have thought that bastard would do such an ignoble thing to boost his cultivation. He's off his head, really. No matter. I think I can still handle him if I'm on my guard, but Sister could definitely take his useless life. And she should as soon as possible, too. Who knows what mischief he's up to now."

She started as she detected footsteps coming towards her direction, and froze. Was it him? Gui Yuan was heavy-footed and a little clumsy. This one sounded lighter and more agile.

Qingqing's hand crept out from her sleeve, lovingly shaping a ball of energy, as she scanned her surroundings. She rolled the ball to the tips of her fingers, ready to throw, and drew her hand up carefully. This time, she would give no chances. Right to the throat or chest--no misses.

"There you are," exclaimed a voice, and Qingqing whirled round to see Yuanzheng with his axe on his shoulder.

With a little gasp of shock, Qingqing stared incredulously at him, even as she immediately quenched the ball of energy in her hand and pulled it back into her sleeve. He was out of breath and looked relieved to see her, as if he had been searching vainly for her.

Qingqing was outraged. Darting forward with flashing eyes, she collared him and shook him fiercely. "What on earth are you doing here? Stupid, I told you so clearly not to come to the mountain again, but here you are by yourself. Are you asking for death? Do you think that silly axe will make you a match for Gui Yuan if he bumps into you?"

Her words tumbled over each other and she had to stop for breath. "Ah, this time you've really pissed me off!"